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The news drew a series of responses from environmental activists, including praise that the apparent choice means the rejection of California Air Resources Board Chairman Mary Nichols, who has faced repression from progressives on alleged failures to communities on the front lines of dirty industry. Other Green activists have reacted critically to the eventual appointment, pointing to what they see as “Regan’s mixed record on environmental justice . “

According to The Associated Press, Biden’s choice of Regan “was confirmed Thursday by someone familiar with the selection process and not authorized [to] publicly discussed the matter ahead of the official announcement and spoke on condition of anonymity. “

CNN, citing information from people familiar with the matter, reported that Regan would be officially announced as the choice on Saturday.

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Regan, 44, has been secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality since 2017. He previously worked for the EPA’s federal air quality and energy programs under the Clinton and Bush. If confirmed by the Senate, Regan would be the country’s second black administrator in the EPA; Lisa Jackson, who served in the Obama administration, was the first.

As Raleigh, North Carolina, News & amp; The observer reported Tuesday:

< blockquote> Under Regan, DEQ created part of the state’s clean energy plan. He called for drastically reducing private sector greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, as well as accelerating clean energy innovation to create opportunities. in both rural and urban areas of the state.
Earlier this year, Duke Energy agreed to the largest coal ash cleanup in U.S. history as part of a legal settlement with DEQ, one of the highlights of Regan’s tenure. Duke agreed to excavate nearly 80 million tonnes of coal ash at six sites.

His tenure at the state agency also included the creation in 2018 of the Advisory Council on Environmental Justice and Equity.

“If Regan is ultimately Biden’s choice and is confirmed by the US Senate, he will find himself in familiar political territory,” Lisa Sorg wrote Wednesday at NC Policy Watch. She continued:

He would inherit an EPA grappling with challenges similar to those the Department of Environmental Quality faced when it became secretary almost four years ago: a depleted budget, demoralized staff, a former leadership that has favored industry over solid science, a myriad of regulatory setbacks, and a politically divided legislature that uses the purse strings as punishment.

While Regan has received praise from some environmental groups cited by Sorg, others have suggested that Regan hasn’t taken on polluting industries with enough force. Sorg added:

“He’s a great person but I don’t think he’s done enough for us on PFAS” – perfluorinated compounds – said Emily Donovan, co-founder of Clean Cape Fear. “I understand that the agency is understaffed and underfunded. But the agency made decisions unrelated to these things. We fought so hard, but received so little.”
She cited the consent order between DEQ, Cape Fear River Watch, and Chemours, which opponents of the deal noted, is weak. It specifically covers only upstream contamination, including private well owners near the Chemours plant in Cumberland and Bladen counties; downstream communities that are on public water systems in New Hanover and Brunswick counties feel left out.
“There are a quarter of a million people still at risk,” Donovan said. “Seeing the state treat municipal taxpayers differently from private well owners is not a good answer. They have left municipalities alone to wage our own battles.”

Criticism of Regan’s track record goes beyond his work on PFAS.

According to the revolving door project:

Regan supported the controversial Atlantic Coast pipeline despite major opposition environment, faith, justice, community and indigenous groups. His ministry has also failed to respond to the Advisory Council on Environmental Justice and Fairness recommendations to halt the construction expansion. He also allowed the construction of a major liquefied natural gas facility in the middle of Lumbee Territory, the largest indigenous tribe east of the Mississippi, and was accused of failing to make a public speech or consultation of government to government prior to construction of the facility.
Regan ran a department that approved all permit applications pellet industry in North Carolina despite massive deforestation problems and failed to resolve critical environment problems associated with the disposal of pork waste.

Earthjustice President Abigail Dillen, however, welcomed Regan as a possible EPA chief, saying in a declaration Thursday that he “dedicated his career to environmental work, promoting clean energy, fighting climate change and tackling pollution from coal ash.”

“As an administrator of the EPA, Regan will play a key role in resolving the climate crisis and protecting the health of all communities,” she added. “We will do whatever is necessary in our power to support and push Regan to undo the damage done by the Trump administration, take bold action on climate solutions, and truly tackle the environmental injustice that has been allowed for too long. ”

The choice was also applauded by Lori Lodes, executive director of Climate Power 2020, who called Regan an “outstanding choice of the Biden team” and said he possessed “an understanding of bold climate action that this moment demands “.

Lisa Ramsden, Greenpeace’s climate campaign manager, also praised the choice, praising Biden for not picking Nichols’ previous alleged choice.

“Biden has given himself the chance to choose an EPA administrator who will prioritize justice for the communities most affected by fossil-based pollution,” said Ramsden, who urged Regan to “be fine. beyond simply reversing the setbacks of the Trump administration “and to boldly call on oil and gas companies for the unfair impacts of their pollution.”

While leading the Department of Environmental Quality in North Carolina, Regan rightly pushed the huge utility Duke Energy to clean up its toxic coal ash and fought off plans to drill offshore oil from Trump. But his record is mixed on enviro mental justice issues in the state, failing to protect communities from the health effects of life near hog farms, and approving multiple permits for the wood pellet industry to high carbon intensity, ”she said.

Ramsden, “Regan and the rest of the Biden-Harris administration must combine their high rhetoric on environmental justice with consistent action.”

Republished with permission from Common dreams .

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